Unbeaten Agilas seek 4th win vs Tigresses

Games today

2 p.m. – Davao vs UST

4 p.m. – Adamson vs St. Benilde

MANILA, Philippines - Surprising Davao tries to make it four-in-row as it takes on six-time champion University of Santo Tomas in Group B even as Adamson seeks to forge a three-way tie for the Group A in the penultimate elims playdate of the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 First Conference at The Arena in San Juan today.

Coming off a shock four-set win over defending champion and erstwhile unbeaten the National U Lady Bulldogs, the Agilas set out as the slight favorites against the Tigresses in their 2 p.m. encounter, looking for win No. 4 and the top spot in their group heading the next phase of the season-opening conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

But the España-based squad is also on a sort of a roll, winning its last two games after dropping a five-setter to NU although the Tigresses will be coming into the contest trying to shrug off a two-week rust, their last outing being last April 13 where they subdued many-time NCAA champion the San Sebastian Lady Stags.

May Agton, Jocemer Tapic, Venus Flores and Mae Antipuesto, who combined for 66 hits against the Lady Bulldogs, are again expected to lead the Agilas’ attack against the Tigresses, tipped to be bannered by rookie sensation Ennajie Laure, No. 8 in the scoring ranking with a 19-hit norm.

Pam Lastimosa, Rhea Dimaculangan, Carmela Tunay, top blocker Marivic Meneses and top digger Jan Dusaran are the other players to watch for UST, which is eyeing to improve its 2-1 card going to the quarters of the event backed by Mikasa, Accel and Lion Tiger Mosquito Coil.

The Adamson-St. Benilde clash at 4 p.m. is also expected to go down-to-the-wire with both teams jockeying for positions and seeking the proverbial momentum heading to the next round.

Games can be viewed live on www.v-league.ph <http://www.v-league.ph/> with the Davao-UST duel to be aired on Tuesday at 1 p.m. on GMA News TV Channel and the Adamson-St. Benilde faceoff to be aired Wednesday, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

The Lady Falcons, led by the power-hitting troika of Shiela Pineda, Pau Soriano and Thai reinforcement Pacharee Sangmuang, hope to tie Ateneo and Arellano on top at 4-1 while the Lady Blazers hope to bolster their 2-2 slate.

Under the format, the top four teams after the elims will move into the quarters where they will be grouped again in two. The top and No. 3 teams in both groups will compose Group I in the quarters while Group II will be made up of the Nos. 2 and 4 teams in the elims.

Games played by the teams in the same groups in the elims, however, will no longer be played but the results will be carried over into the Last 8 phase.